Beijing lodged solemn representations to Tokyo again over erroneous remarks made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan, as Chinese and Japanese officials held consultations in Beijing on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

The consultations were held between Liu Jinsong, director-general of the Foreign Ministry's Department of Asian Affairs, and Masaaki Kanai, director-general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mao said at a regular news briefing in Beijing that the Chinese side stressed that Takaichi's ridiculous remarks gravely violate international law and basic norms governing international relations, severely undermine the postwar international order, and seriously breach the one-China principle and the spirit of the four China-Japan political documents.

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Takaichi's remarks had "fundamentally damaged the political foundation of China-Japan relations" and were egregious in terms of both the nature and impact, thus provoking "strong indignation and condemnation among the Chinese people," Mao said.

She said Beijing sternly urged Tokyo to retract the remarks, stop creating tensions on issues involving China, and take concrete actions to correct its mistakes and safeguard the political foundation of China-Japan relations.

Diaoyu Islands

Mao also said that Beijing dismissed Japan's representation over the legitimate and justified patrols by China Coast Guard vessels near the Diaoyu Islands, reiterating that the islands and their adjacent waters are China's inherent territory.

She made the remarks after Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru said Japan had lodged a protest with the Chinese side over the patrol.

Mao said that China "does not accept Japan's unreasonable representations and has rejected them on the spot and lodged counter-representations."

"The Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands are China's inherent territory. Patrols and law enforcement activities conducted by China Coast Guard vessels in China's territorial waters are legitimate and justified," she said.

Mao urged Japan to honor the four-point principled agreement reached between the two countries, respect China's territorial sovereignty, and refrain from interfering in China Coast Guard operations.

She also called on Tokyo to avoid taking any actions that could "lead to an escalation of the situation".